Disobey
by Circus4APsycho8
Summary: You've never met anyone who shares your sense of justice like he does. Never have you seen that same fiery determination to do what's right in someone else's eyes before. So, when girls begin to go missing and die, you and Budo team up and swear to take whoever's doing this down. No matter the cost. Rated M for typical Yandere stuff. Budo Masuta x Reader
1. Buraza Town

**Hello Yan Sim fandom! This is my first official Yan Sim fic. I hope you like it, but if you don't, that's cool. I know this chapter is a little rushed, but I wanted to get to the good stuff. It'll get better, I promise. :D**

 _Buraza Town._

That's the name of the small community you and your family are moving to. West of Tokyo, located in a relatively flat part of this beautiful country. Not only that, but it's pretty close to the town itself. Just on the outskirts, in fact. You shift your gaze from the town; it's pretty small. You can't see much due to the night sky outside, but you're sure it's a nice area to reside in.

You hope so.

Your ears are becoming sorer and sorer from the two-and-a half hours' worth of music blaring from the speakers of your ear-covering headphones. Legs beginning to get antsy from the lack of activity.

You and your parents had gotten off of your flight from the United States of American in one of Tokyo's airports. The flight itself had taken roughly eleven or so hours, and the drive to the neighborhood would be around two-and-half.

In other words, you can't be that far from your new home.

Deciding that you're done with music for tonight, you take out off your headphones, the volume of the chattering between your parents increasing as you take put them away in your backpack.

"How much longer?" you ask, rubbing your face. The eleven-hour flight from the United States of America to Japan had been long and exhausting. Now, you're ready to collapse on your brand-new bed. Or...futon. You haven't seen the interior of the house yet.

"We're on our street, we _juuust_ need to find our new home," your dad replies.

"Hold on for a little longer. We're all tired, sweetie," your mom pipes in.

"But this is going to be worth it!" your dad chirps, sounding like he hadn't just spent twelve-and-a-half hours travelling.

You really hope this was worth everything your family went through in order to move here.

The drive drags on for another five minutes, until your dad pulls into a driveway. You've already unbuckled your seatbelt, door already open as you step outside. You can't describe the relief that overcomes you when you _finally_ step out of that damned car. Stretching your legs and back, then marveling at your new home.

The pictures your parents showed you didn't do it justice.

You'd driven through a pair of short, dark, metal twin gates with small designs engraved on them. The driveway itself seems to be made of cobblestones and there was a dark, stone wall bordering the outskirt of the property line. In front of you stood a somewhat modern-Japanese style home.

The outside seems to be made of a mixture of wood patches and a white, marble-like stone that make a pretty combination together. Instead of windows, there appear to be shoji, which are sliding panels framed with lightly-colored wood. Surrounding the exterior of the house is an engawa, a narrow corridor that wraps around the lower level of the house. From the looks of it, the engawa is also equipped with a system of storm shutters – which you think are called amado- too.

"Wow..." you breathe, smiling.

"Nice, huh? Can't believe I found this one on sale that was close to town and your new school," your dad states.

"My new school?" you ask.

Mom nods. "Yep! Akademi High, very close to Buraza and home!"

"It's also one of the top high schools in Japan!" Dad states, grinning like the dork he is.

"You...put me in one of the top high schools...?" you question, heart sinking.

"Of course we did!" Mom chatters enthusiastically.

You groan, slumping. How in the hell are _you -_ an awkward, shy seventeen-year-old – going to fit in at freaking Akademi High?!

"You'll be fine, dear. We've been in touch with the headmaster and he says you're a perfect candidate. Great grades, good attendance, high-moral character, volunteer hours, club experience! Don't worry. You'll start on Wednesday, alright? I know moving to Japan is hard, but I'm telling you," Dad smiles, "you're going to like it here."

You look away. "I really hope so."

…

The interior of your new home is pretty, too. It's a simple two stories, the lower level composed of a dining room, which, in Japanese you think is called a...kotatsu? You think? Surrounding it are thin pillows, which you completely forgot the name of. In the hearth of the room, you find a sunken part of the floor that's outlined in a pretty, white stone, which contrasts prettily to the dark, wooden floor. In parts of the lower level, you see tatami mats.

By now, your entire family's shoes have been removed and placed neatly in the shoe cabinet.

"I can't keep up with all these Japanese terms just yet," you complain.

"I know, but it'll get easier. Hopefully, when you get to school, you'll be able to make new friends and they'll be able to help you get adjusted," you mom reminds you.

"Yeah, don't worry. Now, go pick out your room! Other than the master, of course,"

…

 _I love my new room,_ you think as you step into it and plop your backpack on the bed.

Shoji line one wall of the room. When you gently slide it open, you realize you can step onto a balcony that overlooks the surrounding trees from the second floor. Running over the top of your balcony is a small roof, which seems to contain a storm shutter at its tip. Nodding to yourself, you close it gently.

The opposite wall of the shoji, which is the one to your left when you come in, contains a fairly-wide desk with a decent number of drawers on it. When you flick on the light switch, a few white lanterns light up overhead, giving your room a bit of illumination. Next to your desk is a dresser, and the wall opposite to your bed contains a TV stand.

...You could put a TV in here.

Your bed is more of a Japanese futon that looks extremely comfortable to you. Overwhelmed with the desire to crawl in and succumb to the gentle grasp of sleep, you decide that a shower is in order first.

An hour or so later, you finally crawl into your new futon.

…

[Two Days Later]

After two days of unpacking and frantic last-minute research on manners in Japan, you think you're as ready as you'll ever be for the first day of school.

You and your mom went shopping for a few uniforms after you all got relatively settled in. Today, your parents are both getting things set up for work, so that means you're on your own today. Both send you texts expressing love and good luck.

The skirt was much too short for your comfort, with nearly three-quarters of your thigh exposed, so you decide to wear a pair of dark leggings underneath. That can't hurt, right? Hopefully it's not…rude or…anything.

When you believe you've done as much as you can with your physical appearance, you rush downstairs, grabbing a small snack and your backpack before you head out.

…

The walk to Akademi isn't that long. You see several other students trickling towards the school as you progress through Buraza, nearly all of them wearing the same school uniform as you. Some of them glance at you, others don't seem to know you exist. Nevertheless, you continue on.

When you've reached your destination, your jaw nearly drops.

Akademi is _huge_.

A large, spotless-white school with several floors and a giant clock residing in the middle. You peer down at the long walkway, slightly intimidated.

"Shit…" you mumble. There's no way you're not getting lost in there!

"Ohayo, gozaimasu!" comes a voice from further down. You spot a teacher with short, blonde hair wearing a onesie with a whistle dangling from her neck.

"H-Hi…I mean-O-ohayo gozaimasu…?" Despite all of the research you've done, you still manage to completely butcher the pronunciation.

The teacher chuckles. Up close, you find that her eyes are a stunning, electric blue. "You're new, right? From America? Must've been quite the trip."

You nod, your shyness coming into play. Quietly, you introduce yourself.

She smiles. "I'm Kyoshi Taiso, the Gym teacher here at Akademi. Nice to meet you! The headmaster told me you'd be arriving today!"

"It's nice to meet you too," you reply, smiling softly.

"Two students volunteered to help you out for the first few days," she states, "they should be here any minute now. Their names are Saki Miyu and Kokona Haruka. They're both sweet girls. I'm sure you'll get along just fine! Oh, and the headmaster gave me these. Your class schedule, a map of the school, bell schedule, forms for parents. You know how it is," she rattles off as she hands you a folder with several papers inside. For now, you pick up the schedule and the map.

"Thank you," you say, smiling again.

"No problem," she replies, "and, I believe your guides have arrived."

You turn to see two busty girls, one with long, cyan hair that curls down towards the bottom with matching eyes and a cyan bracelet on her wrist. The other has a deep, royal purple shade of hair with similar eyes and a rich, purple bracelet on her wrist.

…Fuck.

Maybe you didn't do enough with your generic hair this morning.

"Hi! I'm Saki Miyu," states the cyan-haired girl.

"And I'm Kokona Haruka," the other introduces.

You bring your hands together to fidget as you tell them your name.

"Nice to meet you! We'll be showing you around before class, if that's alright," Kokona asks, looking to you for confirmation.

"P-Please," you stutter, looking to the masses of students pouring in. Nearly all of them seem to have a varying shade of unnatural hair color, making you feel extremely self-conscious and out of place.

You're definitely going to have one hell of an adventure here.


	2. First Day

"Here's your classroom, Class 2-1," Kokona states as the three of you approach the room. A teacher with dark, brown eyes, slim glasses, and chestnut-colored hair stands behind the podium the front. It faces the other side of the classroom, which holds several rows of desks.

"You should go ahead and meet the teacher!" Saki encourages, gesturing for you to step into the class. You do so hesitantly.

The teacher smiles upon seeing the three of you enter. " _Ohayou gozaimasu_ , ladies. Oh, you must be the new students. My name is Rino Fuka,"

"It's nice to meet you…oh, uh…it's Fuka-sensei, right? I'm sorry, I'm still getting used to all these honorifics!" you explain.

She chuckles. "It's alright, that will suffice. And, to avoid any awkward introductions, your seat will be right over there," she points to a seat next to the one in the middle.

You nod. "Alright. Thank you," you say, smiling a little bit.

She grins. "You'll be next to Mina Rai. She's very sweet and I'm sure the two of you will get along fine. Hm, maybe you could even befriend Ayano as well…" she trails off for a moment. "Anyway. Class starts at eight-twenty every morning. I don't care if you come in and mingle for a few minutes before class starts so long as it's not before eight-ten."

"Noted," you reply.

"Excellent. Have you ladies shown her the rest of the school yet?" Fuka-sensei asks.

"Yes, we have! We're going to show her all of the different clubs later in the week, once she gets better acquainted with everything," Saki responds.

"Sounds lovely. I do hope you'll enjoy your time here at Akademi!"

"Thanks! I hope I will, too," you reply, waving as Kokona and Saki drag you out.

"We still haven't shown you the roof yet!" Saki declares as the three of you make your way up.

…

Once your little trio makes it up to the top, you finally get a good look at the courtyard below. The roof consists of four sections that create a square with the courtyard in the center. Your eyes go wide at the sight of the sakura trees far below.

"Pretty, huh?" Kokona guessed as the two of you walk over to the center.

"Totally," you agree, smiling a bit. You're liking this school so far; the people have been pretty nice thus far, along with the teachers. Not to mention the school itself was lovely.

Something on the other side of the school catches your eye. It's a girl, standing on the opposite rooftop. She's sitting on one of the benches, looking down at something below. Her hair is black, tied up into a neat ponytail with bangs framing the sides of her face.

"That's Ayano," Saki notes, lowering her voice, "she's in your class. Quiet, but something about her…I don't know how to describe it."

"She kind of creeps me out," Kokona whispers. "I don't know what it is about her. Rumor has it that she has some kind of issue with feelings."

"Like, not being able to feel emotion?" you question. Ayano's gaze remains on whatever she's looking at.

"Yeah, something like that. You can tell it's true just from the look in her eyes and the tone of her voice. It's creepy," Saki adds.

"Hm…" you mumble. Then what's she looking at?

"You might want to steer clear from her," Kokona notes, "but anyways. We should start heading to class. Can you find it from here, or do you want us to come?"

"I think I've got it, thank you," you reply, smiling shyly.

"Alright. Text us if you get lost!" Saki yells while the two exit through the other door. You chuckle.

The three of you had exchanged contact information shortly before you'd met Fuka-sensei. You have a vague idea of where to go, so you begin heading back.

…

The hallways are filled with many more students now. It's nearing eight-twenty, and you think you're on the right floor. The only thing is, you don't remember where, exactly, the classroom is. Maybe you could ask someone? Ugh, but you don't want to be a nuisance and you're new here and that would really suck if that happened so you'll just keep walking you'll find that eventually –

Your frantic thoughts are cut short when you round the corner and slam into someone, the force of the impact knocking you down. You squeak out of surprise as a blur of black surrounds your vision for a moment.

"Oh my gosh!" someone says. Quickly, you scramble to your feet, but end up bonking your head against another head once you try to.

"Ow!" you mumble, bringing your head to your hand. Gathering your bearings, you see a tall man standing in front of you. Taking a step back, you keep your forehead in your hands.

His hair is jet black, formed into some weird yet adorable and fitting hairstyle you've never seen before held back by a strange, Japanese-themed headband. His eyes are a pretty, dark black, like the midnight sky. His broad shoulders tower over you, and you can tell that underneath his uniform are big muscles.

 _He's really cute._

You find your breath hitching in your throat as your eyes meet his.

"My apologies, miss! I didn't see you there; I should have watched where I was going. Please forgive me!" His voice is confident, concerned, and deep.

Blinking a few times, you finally respond. "Oh…it's fine. I just…um…was walking too fast. I think." You mentally smack yourself for being so freaking awkward.

A deep chuckle emanates from his chest before he leans down to pick up your fallen backpack. You feel a deep blush dust your cheeks.

"Here you are. Are you okay?" he asks.

"Yeah, um, fine, th-thanks," you stutter, gingerly accepting your bag with a small thank-you and trying _not_ to accidentally brush his fingertips while taking it from him.

A smile crosses his face. "No problem. Are you new? I've never seen you around here."

You nod shyly. "Y-yeah, just moved here a few days ago."

He grins as the other students he was walking with circle around to see what's going on.

"Hey! Aren't you from the United States?" one of them asks. He has dark, brown hair with eyes of a similar shade.

"Yeah…" you answer.

"Quiet down, Sho! You're too loud!" another commands, smacking the brunette upside the head. He lets out a soft grunt.

The girl who had smacked him has another odd haircut. Hers is sort of based off of a bowl cut except with piecey little bangs hanging over forehead along with two longer strands cascading down her shoulders. The hair itself is the color of her eyes, which is a cool shade of dark brown. It looks good on her.

"Mina Rai, Journeymen level disciple in the Martial Arts Club. This is Sho, that's Juku, Shima's over there, and this here," she slaps the man in front of you on the shoulder, "is Budo, our leader. Nice to meet you!"

Budo chuckles. "As Mina mentioned, we're the Martial Arts Club and I'm the president. What's your name?"

You feel your heart rate speed up as you quietly introduce yourself.

"It's a pleasure to meet you!" Budo states.

"Definitely!" Mina adds, smiling. "Hey, what class are you going to?"

"Oh…uh…2-1? I think?" you respond. Mina steps towards you.

"I'm in that class. Come on!" she grabs your hand and whisks you away, and you risk one more glance at Budo, who meets your eyes with a smile. You timidly smile back before turning back.

…

"2-1. Where did you say you were sitting?" Mina asks as the two of you stride into the class.

"Right there," you respond, pointing to the desk beside Mina's.

"Awesome, you're next to me!" Mina cheers before setting her belongings on her chair. You do the same.

"So," Mina says your name, "where were you in America?"

You tell her where you lived. "Nowhere too fancy. It got old after a few years."

She nods. "I want to visit America once. It seems like a great country, for the most part."

You shrug. "The whole situation with politics and government is a complete mess, a lot of the people may be assholes, but other than that…it is a pretty great country. If you can overlook its flaws."

"Well, I'd be wrong to say that Japan didn't have its flaws. I think it's impossible to have a country with absolutely no defects." Mina shrugs.

"Me too," you agree. You're beginning to like Mina more and more, "people are so differently-minded that it would be impossible to integrate every single one into a way of ruling."

"Right?! Man, I like you already! What do you like to do in your free time?"

…

After a few more minutes of brief chitchat, the bell rings and everyone gets settled down for class. During attendance, you feel a pair of eyes on your back, so you discreetly move the screen of your phone to see who's behind you.

In this case, it's diagonal. Ayano is sitting behind Mina, which means she's diagonally behind you. Rushing to put your phone away, you find yourself nervously picking at your fingernails.

You try to push the thoughts of Ayano staring at you to rest. Only one image works: the boy from earlier. What did Mina say his name was earlier? Budo? Hot _damn_ he was…he was _gorgeous_.

Then, your thoughts are ripped away as the teacher introduces you to the class. Heads swivel towards you and you shrink back nervously.

Fuka-sensei chuckles. "Anyway, here's what we're doing for English…"

…

"I swear we _always_ interpret the same. _Fucking_. Poem. Every damned time!" Mina rages once lunch time approaches.

You sigh in relief as someone else shares your opinion on "The Road not Taken" by Robert Frost. It's not that it isn't a good poem, the teachers in every grade level use it over and over and over and _over_ again.

"I know, right?! And I don't even agree with the message they say it is!" you add.

Mina gives you a curious look. "Hm? The _don't-take-the-same-path-as everyone-else_ message?"

You nod. "In my opinion, the narrator wasn't even sure which road to take, so he went 'fuck it' and chose one, and it ended up being the right one."

Mina glances at the sheet of paper containing said poem. "I agree. Damn, I never noticed that! That's so cool!"

Chuckling, you nod. You didn't think you would make a friend like her so quickly. "Th-thanks."

She frowns for a minute. "What if the author did that on purpose? Like, he established two messages: the cliché one and the one you just mentioned. Everyone else thinks it's the cliché message. You and I think it's the other one. He's kind of implying one message into both messages. Uh…does that make sense?"

You nod. "Yeah! Wow…that's…"

"Yeah," Mina agrees, smiling. Then, her face lights up. "Hey! Could we…uh…maybe eat lunch together? It's totally cool if you don't want to! It's just…I haven't had a friend like you before."

You blink in shock for a few moments. "I'd love to! Uh…where do you usually eat? Wait, where _are_ you allowed to eat?"

"Pretty much anywhere as long as you aren't doing anything bad. I usually eat with the Martial Arts Club, but I think we should go to the roof. There aren't a lot of people up there and it's pretty nice outside."

Nodding, you follow her.

…

"Speaking of clubs," Mina says as you two settle for an unclaimed bench on the roof, "have you found one of interest yet?"

"I haven't really seen the full selection yet, but Saki and - I think her name was Kokona? – said that we'd explore them tomorrow or so."

Mina grins. "Dude, you should _totally_ join the Martial Arts Club! Budo is really sweet and a good teacher and everyone's really nice! Plus, we all hang out every other week!"

You chuckle. "I might, actually. The only other club I saw that interested me was the Gaming Club."

The brunette gasps. "You like video games?!"

"I love video games!" you respond, your eyes matching her widened and now-excited ones.

"Oh, we should totally play together sometime and," she gasps again face completely lighting up, "ohmygod if you join we can practice together and then play Call of Duty with the others and we could TOTALLY KICK BUDO'S ASS!" she finishes, her hands tangled in her hair, eyes wide.

You chuckle, noticing that Mina is one of those people who gets louder the more excited they are. Then, your social anxiety kicks in.

What if you're not fit for learning Martial Arts?

What if you look weird while you're doing it?

What if they don't want you there?

What if they're just being nice?

What if you can't learn?

Biting your lip, you look down, wishing social anxiety didn't exist. Mina shifts beside you.

"Hey," she says, voice low, "did I say or do something wrong?"

You shake your head quickly. "N-no, it's me."

She frowns. "What's wrong?"

"I don't…I don't think I can," you admit, fiddling with the hem of your skirt.

"Why not?"

Sighing, you place your chin on your palm. "What if…what if I'm not cut out for this, Mina? What if I just make myself look like an idiot? What if…"

Mina takes your hand in hers. "Look at me. I was in your position once. New girl, shy, awkward, insecure. Then, I met Budo. He convinced me to join the club and he actually helped me. He never laughed at me, never made fun of me for what I looked like…he made me better. It's because of him that I'm at where I am now. And I know he'll do the same for you because he's still the same big softie he was a few years ago."

You bite your lip. "Really?"

She nods. "It's a learning process. And, we're not just a club…we're a family. We're more than happy to add to it. And I really, really, _really_ want you to join! I think we'll have a ton of fun!"

You mull over her offer for a minute. Even though Saki and Kokona hadn't shown you all of the clubs just yet, you had a feeling this was going to be the only you would be interested in. Besides, you really need to get out of your comfort zone eventually, right?

"I'll join at the end of the week, then. I'm going to need some more time to adjust to the school, but I'll do it."

Mina squeals loudly before covering her mouth, eyes wide. You laugh a little but let out a surprised squeak when Mina pulls you into a tight, awkward hug. You're not sure what to do with your arms as Mina holds you to her.

"YAY! Thank you, thank you, thank you so much! I can't wait!" she rambles.

…

"Hey, sweetheart!" your mom gushes once you get back in. "How was your first day?!" You smile as she embraces you a little tighter than necessary.

"It went well. A lot better than expected," you admit with a smile.

"Tell us about it!" your dad encourages.

Grinning, you begin recounting your story.

…

"Martial Arts, huh? That'll be good for you!" Dad says, smiling. The three of you are seated at the table, enjoying a dinner of ordered pizza.

"And everyone in the club seems so nice! What was that girl's name again?"

"Mina," you remind, sipping your drink.

"Mina!" your mom repeats. "Oh, and what about that boy you were talking about?"

You frown, trying to remember what she's talking about until Budo crosses your mind. "Oh yeah. I think his name was Budo. I, um, accidentally ran into them when I was rounding a corner, and I just kind of…fell."

The two chuckle, before Mom asks the inevitable: "Was he cute?"

You feel the blush creeping back. There's no point lying about it. "Yeah."

A groan escapes you as your mom squeals and your dad narrows his eyes.

" _Mom_! Shhh! I don't even know what his last name is!" you state, dinner temporarily forgotten

Through a fit of giggles, your mom comments, "I know, I know! It's just a reminder of how much my baby has grown!"

"Well, in any case, I'm glad you made a new friend," Dad says.

You are too, if you're being honest. After all, you have a feeling you're going to have one hell of a time here.


	3. A New Goal

Kokona and Saki ended up giving a tour of the clubs anyways, even though you'd already settled on one. Despite that, you still had fun meeting all of the students here at Akademi. Your anxiety was gradually getting better and better with every day you went to school, and before you knew it, Friday was here.

Currently, you were on your way with Mina, who lived a bit farther from the school. You two had one of those weird friendships that just worked. She would start walking earlier than you, and at about 7:20 or so she'd drop by your house and you'd join her. Your conversations would range anywhere from video games to school-related matter or just the most random stuff ever.

"You're joining today, right?! I'm so excited!" Mina rambles, a sweet smile on her face.

"Yep! I'm nervous," you admit, biting your lip slightly.

"Don't worry, you'll be great! I know it. Ah, but I should probably start telling you about the basics, huh? Okay, first thing – whatever you do, don't ask Budo about the history of martial arts, because he will go on a full-on lecture about it. He might do it anyway, but trust me when I say we've heard his monologue five hundred jillion times."

You giggle. "Is he really that passionate about it?"

"You bet your ass he is. The dude's a monster," she replies, shaking her head. "Anyways. He just wants you to show up to practice at least once a week. He's really understanding about schoolwork and how life can get in the way. And if you can't make practice for a week, then just tell him why."

"Alright."

"And, if you ever want to spare with one of us during a time that isn't practice, then there'll always be someone in there before school and during our breaks," she begins. "Our practices always start with about five to ten minutes of meditating, depending on what Budo's feeling. After that, we'll do some warmups, then we start practice. He'll make us practice moves, give us individual guidance, and make us spar each other." She smiles. "You'll start by sparring with Juku; he actually joined a few months ago. He's not as dedicated as we are, but he still enjoys practicing as a hobby," she says. "When he's not here, you'll train with Shima." Mina giggles. "Ooh, and now there's three girls in the club! We'll have to go out, just the three of us!"

"Sounds good," you say as the two of you approach the school.

"Awesome!" she chirps. "Let's go get you set up before class!"

After you two change your shoes, she literally drags you up to the second floor and into the Martial Arts club.

"FUCKING BUDO!" Mina screeches as she practically kicks down the door.

"Whoa, whoa! First of all, language, and second of all," comes another voice. "Calm down, Mina."

Once you're inside, you take a look around. You're in a room that's been painted darkly, with mats in the center of the room and various plants and paintings lining the wall. There's a changing room in the center of the back wall.

Budo is standing near the front, a pleasant and welcoming smile on his face upon seeing you. "Ah, what brings you here?"

"She's joining us!" Mina cries, vibrating with intensity. You chuckle nervously.

The raven-haired man smiles upon hearing that. "Is that true?"

"Y-yeah," you reply, returning the grin.

"Fantastic! All I ask is that you show up at least once a week and give it everything you've got! I'm looking forward to teaching you everything I know," he replies, flashing you another smile.

He's so adorable...

"Thank you..." you respond, unsure of what else to say.

"We'll get your outfit taken care of this afternoon!" Mina says excitedly. "But...you are coming after school, right?"

You nod. "Of course. I'll try to come every day, if I can."

"That's the spirit!" Mina yells.

"I'm glad to hear that," Budo adds.

The sliding door opens, and in come the other three members. "Oi, Budo, have you seen my headband – what is she doing here?" asks Sho.

"She's our newest recruit," Mina giggles.

Shima smiles brightly. "Really?! That's great! Now there's three girls!"

"I know right!" Mina chimes in.

"She's so cute!" Juku states with a grin. Feeling your cheeks heat up, you avert your gaze to the ground.

"Oi, don't hit on her the first day she's here!"

"What? It was just an observation!"

"Dude, you made her blush like crazy and hide behind Mina..."

"Oh, I didn't mean to. You can come out now!"

Budo clears his throat, effectively silencing the entire club. Nodding is satisfaction, he crosses his arms and narrows his eyes ever-so-slightly.

"Please don't scare her away so early. Now, it's getting close to class time. You are all dismissed for the morning. I'll see you later."

…

Throughout the day, Mina talks to you whenever she's able. She starts telling you about basic stance, movements, but not much of it makes sense yet. You have a feeling it won't until she shows you how to do it. At one point, you get a little sick of hearing about it, but the look in her eyes makes you unable to attempt to switch the subject.

It's clear that she adores martial arts. You wonder if Budo's enthusiasm rubbed off on her during the years. Eventually, the conversation dies down towards lunch when the two of you are intently staring down at the cherry blossoms from the rooftop.

Then, you catch sight of the black-haired girl from earlier. What was her name? Ayano? Something about her just...really creeped you out. She was walking out of the stariway and towards you. Mina also catches sight of the movement and tenses as well.

 _At least she's here. Isn't she the second strongest in the club?_ You wonder. You'll have to ask her later on.

Ayano approaches you, the silence as thick as the tension running through the air.

"Hello," she begins monotonously. "I believe I haven't introduced myself yet. I am Ayano Aishi."

You force a smile. "It's nice to meet you. I assume you already know my name from class?"

"Yes. It's nice to meet you, too." She falls silent for a moment, her black eyes examining your face. Kokona and Saki's words come back to you:

Rumor has it that she has some kind of issue with feelings.

You can tell it's true just from the look in her eyes and the tone of her voice.

They were absolutely right. Ayano's dark, black eyes contrast to Budo's in that, hers do not contain any sort of emotion whatsoever. Just from looking at Budo's, you could feel how hopeful and full of life he is. But Ayano? She's completely empty, unable to feel.

That scares you more than anything.

"How are you settling in?" she questions.

"I'm doing alright," you reply, smiling. "Making friends and getting used to the new routine."

You're tempted to ask about what she always stares at below the rooftop, but something tells you now is not the time to do so.

"That's good to hear. I understand that moving into a new school is hard." She smiles slightly, but you can tell it's painfully forced. "It was a pleasure to make your acquaintance, but I must meet with a friend of mine now. Goodbye."

"Later," you reply, watching as she turns and leaves. After she's gone, Mina speaks up.

"What the hell was that about? Usually when there's a new student she'll just look the other way," Mina mumbles, furrowing her eyebrows.

"Something's wrong with her," you mutter, a frown crossing your lips. "I want to help her."

"I would stay away from her, if I were you," Mina advises. "She gives me the heebie-jeebies."

"Maybe that's all the more reason she needs someone," you point out.

Mina sighs. "Look, I get your point, but...just don't do anything stupid, okay?" she says.

"I won't," you promise.

But you have a goal. You're going to befriend Ayano and make her feel something.

…

As the day creeps by, you find yourself growing more and more nervous for the first practice as time ticks on. Your previous anxieties resurface and gnaw on the edge of your brain all throughout class, making it difficult to focus on your assignment.

Right now, you're in Biology, attempting to finish a worksheet that had to do with 'application of learned material' or whatever. You were to apply the knowledge you had of mitochondria (tHe MiToChOnDrIa Is ThE pOwErHoUsE oF tHe CeLl was what you had texted Mina about it) and figure out how it would respond to cyanide poisoning. This particular worksheet focused specifically on the Chicago Cyanide murders of America in 1982, or more commonly known as the Chicago Tylenol murders.

You were halfway finished. It wasn't hard, really – the fact was that cyanide disabled the mitochondria's ability to process oxygen. It wasn't that the victims died from lack of oxygen – that was proved when the autopsy reports discovered that all victims actually had an elevated level of oxygen content when they died – it was just that the mitochondria couldn't process it.

In all honesty, you thought it was cool that you could start figuring stuff like this out. Learning about the different types of sciences that made up the forensic branch of the criminal justice system had always been fascinating to you. Murder mysteries were always fun to figure out.

A while later, with your assignment having been turned in, you meet up with Mina, who awaits you at the door.

"Finally!" she gasps exaggeratedly.

"Sorry!" you reply with a laugh. "I had to turn that bio thing in."

"You finished that? I didn't. I hate science!" Mina roars.

You chuckle. "It was really easy."

"For you, maybe," she snorts.

The two of you head towards the club with your heart pounding harder and harder every minute.

"I'm nervous," you admit once you two arrive.

"That's okay. Listen, you'll be fine! You'll see that it's a really relaxed environment after today, alright?"

With a deep breath, you nod. Mina cheers and pulls you inside.


End file.
